


Past Fractures

by Leonidas1754



Category: South Park
Genre: Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Past Attempted Suicide, Post-The Fractured But Whole, South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:53:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25471189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leonidas1754/pseuds/Leonidas1754
Summary: The Freedom Pals come across a rather disturbing piece of information about their favorite farting vigilante.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 82





	Past Fractures

**Author's Note:**

> As if the New Kid's life wasn't bad enough in canon, I just had to project a little. Not a ton to it, it's just something venty before I continue to binge South Park because I've started that after enjoying TFBW so much.

“Guys… I think we should have listened to Call Girl when she told us not to go looking.”

The entire room stilled at Tupperware’s words as each person looked to the screen. It felt as though a glacial chill had settled in the room, horror filling each and every one of their faces. Even Coon looked completely stunned.

_ ‘Local Youth Attempts Suicide; Parents Released After Questioning’ _

“... Shit,” Super Craig finally said, breaking the silence.

“H-H-He never said any-anything,” Fastpass spluttered out.

Mysterion shook his head. “Why would he? How do you even begin to talk about something like that? Ignoring the fact that he barely talks in the first place.”

“What should we do?” Wonder Tweek asked, eyes darting around to everyone. “Should we say something to him?”

_ ‘We should be honest with him. He’ll be more upset if he finds out we found out and didn’t tell him,’ _ Timmy uttered telepathically. Despite his words, however, he sounded doubtful.

“Wait, does it say why his parents were questioned?” Coon asked.

“Why do you want to know that, Fatass, you gonna try and fuck with them or something?” Human Kite asked accusingly.

Coon turned on him, glaring. “Shut the fuck up, Kite, even I’m not gonna use this to mess with Buttlord.”

“I want to know too. That sort of thing… People don’t just try to… To do that without reason, and his parents might be part of why,” Toolshed replied, earning a nod of agreement from Coon.

Tupperware scrolled through the article, expression grave. “... It doesn’t say enough to tell, just that they were questioned and deemed not to have enough evidence to press them with any charges. No signs of physical abuse or anything like that.”

“I’ll talk to him, then.” Everyone turned in surprise to Professor Chaos. He had tears in the corners of his eyes. “We’re good friends, right? So he might take it a little easier from me. I’ll tell him the truth- we wanted to know more about him before South Park and asked Call Girl to help, when she found out she told us not to look, but we ignored her and did anyway.”

“I’ll make some cupcakes to take to him too! Sweets will make it easier to cheer him up, right?” Wonder Tweek asked, hands shaking.

“I think we have enough in the kitchen to make some right now, I’ll go ask my mom,” Tupperware replied, hopping down from the chair and jogging up the stairs.

Everyone else glanced to one another awkwardly before separating and sitting down in their various places again, whispering amongst themselves. Fastpass still stared at the screen, trembling a bit.

“Hey man, you should sit down,” Mosquito said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m alright.” Fastpass took the computer chair anyway. “Do you… Do you think he’ll tr-tr-try it again?”

Mosquito swallowed. “I… I dunno, man. I hope not.”

“He’th alwayth theemed fine to me,” Captain Diabetes said, crossing his arms. “Maybe he’th better now?”

Fastpass and Mosquito glanced at one another, neither voicing their doubts. Mosquito wanted to believe it wasn’t real, that the article was fake somehow, but why would someone fake that? If his parents had wanted to fake his death, the article wouldn’t reveal he’d survived the attempt, and it was strange to think that someone might hate the New Kid enough to create some fake article for an entirely different town in a different state.

Tupperware reappeared at the top of the stairs, calling Wonder Tweek up, and Super Craig followed as well.

“We shouldn’t tell our parents,” the Human Kite eventually said, loud enough for everyone to take note. “They’d make a huge deal out of it and probably make the guy uncomfortable.”

“But what if he does it again?” Toolshed retorted, arms crossed. “Shouldn’t everyone be aware that way they can stop him?”

“His parents already know though, right? If the entire town is watching out for it, he’d probably just feel even more uncomfortable,” Human Kite pointed out. “He’s got us watching out for him, and… it’ll be fine, right?”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room at that, each wondering if it could happen again and how they could stop it, if they could stop it were it to happen. No one really had an answer.

* * *

Butters had changed out of his costume before heading over to the New Kid’s house. It felt kind of awkward to consider, and Butters didn’t want to talk about this as Professor Chaos, but as a friend. He held the cupcakes Tweek, Craig, and Token had made close to his chest with one hand as he used the other to knock.

There were a few moments of quiet before it opened, the New Kid looking surprised before smiling brightly. Butters did his best to smile back. “Hey buddy! I brought you cupcakes! Wanna hang out?”

The New Kid nodded happily and motioned for Butters to follow, heading to the stairs. Butters shut the door behind him and followed after quickly, dread growing in his stomach and making him queasy. When they got to the room, Butters placed the cupcakes on the desk, and the new kid went to his toy chest and pulled out two toy cars, offering one to Butters.

Shaking his head, Butters shifted guiltily. “Um, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.” When the New Kid tilted his head, looking confused, Butters bit his lip. “Um, the Freedom Pals were… Well, we were curious about you before you came here, y’know? And at first we asked Call Girl to help out, ‘cause she’s good with information stuff.”

A wariness had overtaken the New Kid’s expression, but he didn’t seem inclined to interrupt, so Butters continued. “She told us not to go looking, but… we didn’t listen. And we found… We found an article. It said that…” Butters swallowed thickly. “It said you tried to kill yourself.”

The toy cars fell to the floor with a soft clatter, the New Kid looking absolutely distraught. He wrapped his arms around himself, backing up and bumping into the wall.

Butters stepped forward, eyes wide. “W-We’re sorry, we didn’t know- We just want you to be okay, you know? We don’t wanna see you hurt…”

The New Kid looked up at Butters, tears in the corners of his eyes and lip wobbling. Still, he stood up a bit straighter. Butters smiled softly. “There, there, it’s okay buddy,” he said, lightly patting the New Kid’s shoulder. “Tweek, Craig, and Token made you cupcakes,” he added, pointing to the container he’d put on the desk. “We wanted to tell you we knew, ‘cause Timmy said you’d probably be more upset if you found out we didn’t tell you.”

The New Kid nodded and took the steps over to the desk, opening the container and taking out two of the cupcakes. He licked at the icing on one while offering the other to Butters. “Thanks buddy,” Butters said, taking it, though he didn’t take a bite just yet. “Um… We’re… We really care about you, you know? And we won’t tell, we just don’t wanna see you hurt, you know?”

The New Kid nodded, munching on the cupcake. They stood in silence for a few minutes, the New Kid finishing the cupcake and Butters nibbling at his own. When he finished, the New Kid sat on the floor near where he’d dropped the cars and picked them up again. Butters set his half-eaten cupcake on the desk and sat beside him.

“... Do you wanna talk about it?” Butters asked.

The New Kid shook his head.

“Okay. Then… Should we not really talk about it? I don’t think the guys can just forget and all that, but if you don’t want it all talked about, I think we can do that.” Butters figured, from their reactions, that the rest of the Freedom Pals would be willing to stay quiet, even if they weren’t too happy about it. “Just… You’ll talk to us if something is wrong, right?”

The New Kid considered it, flicking at the wheels on the car. “... I will,” he finally said, voice tiny and quiet. “I don’t speak well, but… I’ll try.”

Butters smiled brighter. It was so rare to hear the New Kid speak, hearing him talk now was even better. “Eh, Jimmy and Scott don’t talk so well either, it’s not a big deal.”

The New Kid laughed softly, reaching up to rub at his eyes. He then held out the car again, and Butters took it this time. They played together for a little while, mostly crashing them into one another as they were wont to do. When it started getting dark, Butters realized it was getting late and he needed to leave.

“See you tomorrow at the Freedom Pals base? I think we’re gonna be doing some new story or something, I dunno,” Butters asked as he opened the door.

The New Kid nodded eagerly, then paused. His smile grew wide and mischievous and he tapped his fingers together like a maniacal villain. Butters giggled. “Oh boy, I dunno what you’re thinkin’ but I’m not sure it’s good. Chaos?”

The New Kid just giggled and waved as Butters stepped outside, closing the door behind him. Butters shook his head and hopped down the steps before heading down the street toward home.

There was no denying the truth they’d uncovered was a dark shadow looming in the New Kid’s past. But after talking with him, Butters felt hopeful that maybe it was all okay.


End file.
